Boca Design | One Thousand Ocean An all-inclusive retreat

Although One Thousand Ocean opened less than a year ago, the world-class, luxury condominium is already a Boca Raton landmark. Named after its prestigious address, the architecturally peerless, seven-story building is surrounded by water on three sides and situated on the tip of a private peninsula owned by the five-star Boca Raton Resort & Club. Ownership in the luxurious residence includes all of the conveniences normally reserved for large cities- a 24-hour desk, concierge services, valet parking-fused with a resort lifestyle. To date, more than 65 percent of the units in the nautilus-shaped structure are sold, and all buyers have opted for membership in the famed resort, which also includes every privilege at One Thousand Ocean’s neighbor, the Boca Beach Club.

Jamie Telchin is president of development for LXR Luxury Resorts, the project’s developer. He explained that One Thousand Ocean's success during these financially challenging times is due to its phenomenal location, the unique and contemporary architecture, the proximity of the resort and beach club and use of its numerous amenities and services- golf, croquet, tennis, restaurants and much more. Additionally, the city of Boca Raton itself, which Telchin describes as the Beverly Hills of the East coast, is a very attractive location. “It’s all rolled into one, and our homeowners have looked forward to moving in,” he says.

Buyers choose from an array of styles: a one-or two-story Beach Villa, a one-story residence or a penthouse, and each unit has a private garage. The two-to four-bedroom homes are priced from approximately $3 million to more than $15 million and run from 2,300 square feet to 8,000 square feet with an additionally nearly 1,200 square feet in terraces. “I’ve heard homeowners saying this is something they could see passing down to generations because it’s such a unique piece of property,” Telchin says.

Attesting to the development's uniqueness, One Thousand Ocean was recently feature on "Selling New York," a show about selling premier real estate on HGTV.

Telchin says selecting an interior design firm was paramount. He needed a design firm with the talent to create a builder's model that would appeal to discriminating buyers from across the globe, and that led him to The Decorators Unlimited in Palm Beach Gardens. Bob Martin, founder and CEO of the design firm says, "We're very proud to be part of the team. I think our vision is in line with theirs."

Martin selected Bruce Linthicum, a senior designer in his firm, to work alongside him on this huge project. Linthicum has spent more than 20 years in interior design and has experience designing homes across the U.S. "Bruce was absolutely the right person to take [unit] 502 from bare bones to magnificent*… He is extremely talented, and the success speaks for itself," Martin says.

Every room in the 4,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath unit has floor-to-ceiling windows that provide views of the ocean and beach, the Boca Inlet or Lake Boca. Another focal point he had to consider was the fireplace in the living room (there is one in every unit.) "When we look at a floor plan, we have to understand the focal points. We featured the fireplace, and more importantly, the view down the beach, and that set the direction of the furniture in the living room," he says.

From the beginning, understate elegance was a hallmark of this project. That is apparent as soon as guests step from the private elevator into the unit's large foyer. The peaceful and relaxed feeling in the space is brought about in part by the soft contemporary style. Light-colored walls and soft illumination from the ceiling lights add to the restful atmosphere. Furnishings in the foyer are minimal but especially interesting is the floating, mahogany-colored console table next to the tall entry door. One inside the condominium-which opens to the living room and dining room- the views can only be described as spectacular. Numerous glass walls allow natural light to pour into the huge area, and breathtaking views of the blue sea are everywhere, wowing even the most sophisticated. Wisely, the design plays to the natural elements rather than competing with them.

The living and dining rooms are essentially one large area, to delineate between the two spaces without obstructing the view, so Linthicum placed a large, round entry table in the middle of the room. Taking a cue from the sky and the water, he used a neutral color palette: hues of blues, aqua, sand and white. “All of the room settings are focused on capturing the view because the view is one of the primary reasons people buy beachfront units,” he says. "And since the building is contemporary, that is the direction we took the design."

Linthicum customized the gas fireplace by creating an interesting one-of-a-kind design using ceramic tile and a variety of stones. He cut the tile into one-and two-inch lengths and worked with the materials until he came up with an interesting pattern that he applied to the drywall pilaster sections flanking the fireplace. He then painted the mantle and shelf with a walnut stain. Most of the upholstery fabrics in the living room are natural- cotton and chenille- but differing texture such as velvet add interest. "We wanted a simple, crisp and clean style and the neutral, textural look is very popular," he says.

Biscuit-colored limestone floors were laid throughout the condominium and the same drapery panels were used throughout. Lighting was key in the design; in keeping with the open look, it is low profile. There are no traditional chandeliers in the home. Instead, stainless steel monorail fixtures on the ceiling hold attractive, bright lighting without blocking the field of vision.

Seating in the generously sized dining room includes four end chairs upholstered in a striped fabric and two sand-colored, ultra suede settes. A circular monorail was placed over the custom square-shaped dining table. Additionally, the butler’s pantry located behind the dining room can be completely closed off when needed.

Linthicum says, "The mirror in the dining room helps reflect the view and the mirrored wall at the entry helps expand the spaces."

The living room terrace overlooks the Boca Inlet, ocean and beach. The beach is dimly lit at night, providing a 24-hour view.

Adjacent to the living room is the office. The two rooms share the same spectacular view but the office has two walls of glass, and the effect is almost surreal. The glass desk Linthicum selected for the room adds to the open, airy ambiance.

The views in the master bedroom, located next to the living room, are panoramic, as they are in the rest of the home. The room features a backlit, floating paneled headboard, which in the evening adds a romantic glow to the dramatic space. The room-sized, walk-in closet has a refrigerator drawer and a "two-story island" that encompasses a bachelor's closet and makeup vanity. Spa-like, the master bath includes every amenity possible, including his and her water closets.

Linthicum chose Wolf stainless steel appliances and refrigerator drawers in the efficient kitchen. The comfortable space overlooks the family room and Lake Boca. Italian craft cabinetry and a triple sink are only a few of the numerous design statements. He selected quartzite, a manmade material, for the countertops because it is as practical as it is beautiful. The nonporous product is almost impervious to stains and is unusually bacteria resistant. Generous use of walnut warms both the kitchen and breakfast room.

Custom cabinetry in the family room hides wires and electronic toys when not in use. "The family room is focused toward the view of Lake Boca," Linthicum says. "It's a very social lake; on the weekend there may be 50 boats moored together."

For a garden party or down time, the family room terrace is perfect. Complete with a summer kitchen, a dipping tub, water feature and two double, blue-colored, in and yang lounges set amidst and assortment of wicker-style casual furniture, the terrace rivals any backyard in a single family home. Homeowners can always enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Boca d the surrounding area or the starlit nights that abound, but Linthicum provided them with one more option. Homeowners can also sit outside and have a great view of the large-screen TV in the family room.

The two guest bedrooms, one of which features two glass walls, also provide phenomenal views of Lake Boca. Finally, a generously sized laundry room provides access to the home’s rear stairs

Residents visiting the resort can leave their cars behind, as water taxis and buses will whisk them between the resort and building. However, One Thousand Ocean's oceanfront pool and sundeck, private cabanas, oceanfront fitness center with a spa, yoga and pilates rooms, and a lakefront lounge with a catering kitchen will certainly beckon them back home.

One Thousand OceanAn all-inclusive retreat

One Thousand Ocean
An all-inclusive retreat